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Free Christmas Events
Free Christmas Events
There are a lot of cool things happening this Christmas season. But the rising cost of EVERYTHING these days has put the financial freeze on many of us. Meaning, many will not be able to afford unnecessary holiday events this year. To keep your holly jolly vibes going strong throughout the holiday season, I have compiled a list of FREE Christmas Events worth checking out!
Sheraton Grand Seattle Gingerbread Village
Sheraton Grand Seattle | 1400 6th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101 | November 22nd – January 1st | Sunday-Thursday from 9:00 am – 9:00 PM, Friday & Saturday from 9:00 am – 11:00 pm
Credit: Sheraton Grand Seattle
THIS IS NOT A DRILL. I repeat, this is not a drill! For the first time since the pandemic, the iconic Sheraton Grand Gingerbread Village is returning! Their theme this year is “Buzzing Back in 2022.” The gingerbread village is free for all ages and opens on November 22nd. If you miss out on this one “you are a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity.”
I should also add that while this event is free, they will be accepting donations at the door that will directly benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Northwest Chapter. So, if you can give, it goes toward a worthy cause.
Bellevue Snowflake Lane
Bellevue Square | On the sidewalks between Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square from NE 4th to NE 8th Street | November 25th – December 24th | Nightly at 7:00 pm
Credit: @SnowflakeLaneBellevue Facebook
Snowflake Lane’s magical parade is returning this year! Along with it, free complimentary sights from character performances to floats, to lights and nightly snowfall. If you get there early enough, you can use one of the free parking garages nearby. You’ll also want to get there early enough to grab a front row spot on the sidewalk.
Green Lake Pathway of Lights
Green Lake Community Center | 7201 East Green Lake Dr N, Seattle, WA 98115 | December 10th from 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Credit: Seattle.gov
Attending the annual Green Lake Pathway of Lights is a great way to get into the holiday spirit. At this event, the crowd is a big part of creating the magic in the atmosphere. When I went years ago there were people, pets, strollers, wagons, and even umbrellas bedazzled in twinkling Christmas lights. Apart from being around people in high spirits, there was complimentary refreshments and live holiday music near the Community Center. I saw on their Facebook page that “The hot air balloon glow will only be from 4:30- 5:30 and is weather dependent. The main events are rain or shine!” So, plan to get there early if you want to be part of the lighting up Green Lake!
Evergreen Christmas Light Show hosted by Evergreen Church
3429 240th St SE, Bothell, WA 98021 | December 2nd – 24th from 6:00-9:00 pm
The Evergreen Christmas Light show is the perfect setting to drive out the Washington winter darkness. Eat Evergreen’s FREE famous chocolate chip and gingerbread cookies, while you warm yourself from a heated viewing area. The music choreographed light show lasts for 30 minutes and runs back-to-back from 6:00-9:00pm; from a tunnel light with a snowstorm that dusts every 30 minutes to a heated indoor train and village display there are plenty of photo opportunities along the way. For more information on the event please visit their website at Christmas at Evergreen.
Holiday Light Drive (GPS Mapped)
All over Washington | Check their map for confirmation lights are up and operational
Credit: Pacific NW Christmas Lights & Google Maps
In my family we usually just drive around until we happen upon a home. Unfortunately, gas prices have risen astronomically this year. Which puts a real damper on our normal Christmas light display quest. Luckily, Pacific NW Christmas Lights has put together a map of locations with drive worthy displays. They are still accepting submissions to add displays to their map at Pacific NW Christmas Lights.
Winter Porch Light Parade – Communities Shining Bright (Virtual Map launches Dec 1st)
Bothell | Kenmore | Lake Forest Park | Shoreline | Map Launches Dec 1st and they are still accepting submissions to have your display featured
Credit: Winter Porch Light Parade Web Page
“Join the cities of Bothell, Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline, WA to celebrate communities shining bright with the 2022 Winter Porch Light Parade from December 1 – 31! Create light displays that will become part of a virtual map, marking the many holidays and traditions celebrated during the winter season. From porches to patios, balconies to banisters, windows or even cars, anyone can participate and help our communities transform into a magical wonderland of lights.” For more information please visit their website at Winter Porch Light Parade.
Festival of Trees
Mill Creek Town Center | Main Street Merchants | 15310 Main St, Mill Creek WA 98012 | November 25- January 2nd | Grand Prize Announced on January 3rd 2023
Credit: City of Mill Creek & The Mill Creek Town Center
The Festival of Trees is brand new for 2022. Go hunt down four cute holiday critters along the windows of the Mill Creek Town Center Main Street. Find them all and submit their locations to be entered to win a prize! For more detailed information on the event please visit the event page.
Santa Parade
Mill Creek Town Center Main Street from LA Fitness to City Hall| Windermere Mill Creek 15418 Main St, Suite M103 Mill Creek, WA 98012 | Parade Starts at 3:30 pm
Credit: Mill Creek Town Center & the City of Mill Creek
Santa is coming to town! That’s right! For the first time since the pandemic, the Santa Parade will be returning to main street at the Mill Creek Town Center. There will be free train rides offered from 2-6pm. The Santa Parade will start at 3:30 and the tree lighting will be at 4:00 at City Hall. There will also be an appearance from the jolly man himself, Santa!
Meet and Greet with the Grinch hosted by Windermere Mill Creek
15418 Main St, Suite M103 Mill Creek WA 98012 | Windermere Mill Creek |2:00 – 6:00
Come see us to meet the Grinch!
After the Santa Parade on December 3rd stop by our Windermere office to meet none-other than the Grinch! Remember to bring your own phone to snap off your own portrait! We can’t wait to see you there!
Holiday on the Bay
Port of Everett | Pacific Rim Plaza, 1028 13th Street, Everett, WA 98201 | December 3rd from 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Credit: Port of Everett
“Rain or shine, guests will gather in and around the Port’s Pacific Rim Plaza, near Hotel Indigo, for the day’s outdoor festivities including a holiday pop-up market, free kids’ activities from cookie decorating, crafts and face painting to touch-a-truck, fire truck rides and character meet-and-greets, a tree-lighting ceremony and visit from Santa, lighted boats on parade, holiday drive-in movies (reservation required), and festive music and lighting displays.”
Check out Your Local Tree Lighting Event!
All over Washington State | Dates Vary
Credit: City of Mill Creek Tourism Page
Many of these tree lighting ceremonies have events attached to them. I would recommend following the hyperlink to the city pages to confirm dates, times and activities.
- November 25 Everett from 4-7 at on Colby & Hewitt
- November 26th Snohomish from 12:00 pm-7:30 pm at Historic Downtown Snohomish
- Nov 26 Arlington from 4:00 pm-7:00 pm on Olympic Ave
- Nov 26 Edmonds from 3:00 pm-7:00 pm at Centennial Plaza
- Nov 27th Monroe from 4:30-7pm at Travelers park
- Dec 2nd Mount Lake Terrace at 6:30 pm at City Hall
- December 3rd Everett from 11:00 am-7:00 pm at the Port of Everett Waterfront.
- December 3rd Marysville from 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm at Delta Plaza
- December 3rd Lake Stevens from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm at North Cove Park
- December 3rd Mill Creek 4:00 pm at city hall
- December 3rd Woodinville from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm in DeYoung Park
- Dec 3 Camano Island & Stanwood 4:00 pm -5:00 pm at Camano Commons
- Dec 3 Mukilteo from 3:00 pm-6:30 pm at Rosehill Community Center
- Dec 3 Granite Falls 4:30p.m. in front of the museum at 109 E. Union Street, behind the Granite Falls Civic Center
- December 4th Lynnwood from 5:00 pm-7:00 pm at Silver Creek Family Church
Free Christmas Events Are Here to Help Make Your Holidays Brighter!
I am sure there are many other free Christmas Events events to check out. These were just a few that I was aware of and chose to highlight. I know that I will be going to several of these activities because they really do help to make my season brighter! I hope you found something in this list to help make your holiday season merrier!
Kerriann Jenkins
Drum Roll Wine
Stop # 7 of the Mill Creek Summer Wine Walk
I was really excited for stop number 7 of the Mill Creek Summer Wine Walk. We were more than halfway through our event and at our last wine walk I had LOVED the 2016 Drum Roll Red wine I tried by Drum Roll Wine; so much so, that I was already planning to buy two bottles if they had them available for purchase this time around. Not to mention, I knew I was going to purchase a sweet treat from Frost as well.
Drum Roll History
I had previously written a background on Drum Roll Wine that I will repost from the spring wine walk tasting.
Drum Roll Wine hosted by Frost
Unfortunately, the 2016 Drum Roll Red evaded my grasp again. Since it was unavailable, I opted to try the 2020 Drum Roll White. And I’m so glad that I did.
Drum Roll Wine White reviewed by Windermere Mill Creek
Kerriann’s Tasting Notes on the 2020 Drum Roll White Wine
This white poured near close to clear. Almost as if it had just the smallest hint of something dropped into it to add color. It smelled like peaches and pineapple, and it tasted delicious. The flavors of peaches, pineapple and strawberry were all present but harmoniously soft on my taste buds. It was one of those dangerous drinks that was SO easy to drink you could easily finish a bottle before knowing what you had done. I wanted an encore, so I purchased a bottle to taste on a clean palette later.
Kerriann’s 2nd Tasting of the 2020 Drum Roll White
Luckily, this one tasted just as good the second time around. I noted that it still poured out a very pale color. Almost an ethereal whitened peach. The Drum Roll White smelled light and fresh and tasted even lighter. It was very refreshing like a cool glass of water on a hot summer’s day. It was still fruit forward but very softly so. I turned the bottle to see that the flavor profiles noted were yellow grapefruit, peach and pineapple. The Drum Roll White ended up being my favorite of the tasting.
Chasity’s Notes
I really loved the color and the smell of this 2020 Drum Roll White Wine. It poured almost clear with a hint of pear, I could tell that’s what gave it it’s color. I really really enjoyed this wine. Straight complete happiness is all I have to describe it and I give this five stars. It was also my favorite of the wine tasting.
Chasity’s Notes on the 2020 Drum Roll White
The second tasting was even better than the first I think. It reminded me of a sweet summer day. It offers a very nice sweet smell that I remembered so well the first time around. It went down very smooth with no bitter taste whatsoever. Again this is still my favorite of the wine tasting we did.
Always Ready for an Encore of Drum Roll Wine
Before the Mill Creek Town Center’s Spring Wine Walk, I had never even heard of Drum Roll Wine. Now I greedily scan the aisles of shelves hoping that they make it into stores sometime soon. I have had their Seurat Syrah, their Drum Roll Red and their Drum Roll White and every variety has left me wanting to go back and purchase more.
This was only stop seven of our wine-walk and there are still four more to go. I’ll be updating the links below as we post our tastings so stay tuned for the next one!
Wine Tasting Notes to Come!
♦Harbinator Wines♦ ♦Drum Roll Wine♦ ♦Naches Heights Vineyard♦ ♦Kerloo Cellars♦ ♦Wandering Wolf Cellars♦ ♦Dahlman Cellars♦ ♦Martedi Cellars♦ ♦Navarre Coulee♦ ♦Bayernmoor♦ ♦Julian Margot♦ ♦Michael Florentino Cellars♦
Blog Written by Kerriann Jenkins
Blog Feature Chasity Rodriguez
Martedi Cellars Tasting
Mill Creek Town Center Summer Wine Walk Stop #6
If you have been reading along you know that for the most part, our wine walk had gone very favorably; but at stop number 6 I got a little too adventurous with my drink choice. Martedi Cellars had several wines I had never heard of before to taste and I went all in on one of them.
Brief Background on Martedi Cellars
Since I have already previously written a short piece on the background of Martedi Cellars I’m going to insert the excerpt from a previous blog below.
Martedi Cellars hosted by Kafe Neo
I must admit, I chose my drink at this stop because our sommelier told Chasity that their 2019 Dolcetto was straight out of Italy and not something that we had available in Washington State. She said she was going to try it and like a sheep I baa-ed “me too!”
Credit: The Office
Kerriann’s Tasting Notes on Martedi Cellars 2019 Dolcetto
I don’t believe that I have had many Italian wines before. But this experience may have been a case of being too American to enjoy it. I don’t remember this wine having a distinctive scent, but I do remember the distinctive alcoholic taste that enveloped my mouth when I took my first sip. That astringent taste remained present all the way through the tasting. Our Graphic Designer Scott summed this drink up in the perfect phrase; “night-night.” It was strong. But I think it would be enjoyed by somebody who is more into liquor then wine. This one just wasn’t for me.
Chasity’s Tasting Notes on Martedi Cellars 2019 Dolcetto
Well I cannot say too much about this wine, I do remember it was not my favorite! It was a special wine from Italy that was not available to purchase here in Washington so of course I had to try it! I am a fan of Italian wines, this one though provided a very alcohol taste and smell. It’s like a sipper hard alcohol drink. I have tried 2018 the Nebbiolo from Martedi Cellars and I did enjoy that one. I guess that’s why they call it wine tasting so you know what you like and don’t like. If you enjoy a little more of a robust alcohol flavor I would suggest the 2019 Dolcetto.
Don’t Let One Drink Stop You from Trying Another Variety!
I had previously tried a Cabernet by Martedi Cellars and loved it. It just goes to show individual tastes also hold weight on what makes wine a great wine. My taste is individual to me. This wine may not have been for me, but I know I would enjoy some of their other offerings, because I have before.
There are still five more tastings to go so keep following along to see what we thought of the other wines we tried at the Mill Creek Town Center Summer Wine Walk!
Wine Tasting Notes to Come!
♦Harbinator Wines♦ ♦Drum Roll Wine♦ ♦Naches Heights Vineyard♦ ♦Kerloo Cellars♦ ♦Wandering Wolf Cellars♦ ♦Dahlman Cellars♦ ♦Martedi Cellars♦ ♦Navarre Coulee♦ ♦Bayernmoor♦ ♦Julian Margot♦ ♦Michael Florentino Cellars♦
Blog Written by Kerriann Jenkins
Blog Feature Chasity Rodriguez
Navarre Coulee Wine Tasting
Mill Creek Wine Walk Stop #5
At stop number five of our wine walk we sampled wines by Navarre Coulee at Artisan Custom Framing. Apart from attending events at the Mill Creek Town Center, I haven’t ever been inside of Artisan Custom Framing long enough to take in all their stock. However, this time around we stayed awhile and browsed all the art that they had displayed in their store while we sipped on our wine. As somebody who enjoys painting, photography and creating, I can appreciate a store that chooses to display artists’ work; and there was art EVERYWHERE! Even the frames they offer lined the wall like a traditional to ornate work of art.
Navarre Coulee hosted by Artisan Custom Framing
Navarre Coulee is a family owned and operated winery and vineyard in Lake Chelan Valley. According to their website, they planted their 40 acres of grapes in 2002, making them the oldest in the valley. From their 40 acres of grapes, the Leslie family and co-owner and winemaker Paul Taylor craft handmade boutique-style wines. After trying the Unicorn Rose Bubbles Limited Edition release by 14 Hands I realized I enjoy sparkling bubbly wine. As a result, I decided to try Navarre Coulee’s 2019 Riesling Bubbles.
Kerriann’s Tasting Notes on Navarre Coulee’s 2019 Riesling Bubbles:
After my first sip my immediate thought was: I should have waited to purchase a bottle because I would have purchased this one instead. Alas, you can’t have them all. This wine was off-dry. It was lightly tarte and sweet with a lingering minerality to it. The bubbles were uplifting and lightly brilliant. It was crisp but juicy. It was different from the Unicorn wine but easily held the shine of its own spotlight.
Chasity’s Tasting Notes on Navarre Coulee’s 2019 Riesling Bubbles:
I’m a huge fan of a bubbly white wine that is not champagne so when I noticed they had a Bubbly Riesling I absolutely had to give it a try! The first taste is a bit tart but quickly turned into a smooth crisp yummy mouth full of bubbly….so good. I am also not a fan of Riesling but this one surprised me yet again. I would have to agree with Kerriann about the Unicorn wine we tasted previously, these two are different but similar. This one is definitely on my list of favorites.
Navarre Coulee Holds Fun Events
If you’re ever in the Chelan neighborhood stop by Navarre Coulee Vineyards. Maybe you’ll get lucky, and you will be there on one of their event nights. I know wood fired pizza and the prospect of trying their other wines not offered at the wine walk, like their 2014 Pinot Noir named Horny Goat, would be enough to draw me in.
This was only stop five of our wine-walk and there are still six more to go. I’ll be updating the links below as we post them so stay tuned!
Wine Tasting Notes to Come!
♦Harbinator Wines♦ ♦Drum Roll Wine♦ ♦Naches Heights Vineyard♦ ♦Kerloo Cellars♦ ♦Wandering Wolf Cellars♦ ♦Dahlman Cellars♦ ♦Martedi Cellars♦ ♦Navarre Coulee♦ ♦Bayernmoor♦ ♦Julian Margot♦ ♦Michael Florentino Cellars♦
Blog Written by Kerriann Jenkins
Blog Feature Chasity Rodriguez
Halloween Movie Road Trip
Washington Halloween Movie Road Trip
In the fall Washington state dusts off its veil of fog and wears it on and off like a child who can’t wait for Halloween throughout the fall months. In my opinion, Washington’s dark, damp, and chilly nature creates the perfect amount of spooky atmospheric ambiance. This makes Washington the ideal place to be during the spooky season. Even Hollywood agrees. The have used our state as the backdrop for many movies throughout the years. Films such as the cult classic Practical Magic, The Ring and Twilight have been made here (among many others). Bringing me to the point of this blog. Instead of sitting on the couch watching Halloween movies, you should take a Halloween Movie Road Trip!
Practical Magic was filmed in Coupeville on Whidbey Island
I was 10 when this movie released and stirred up some excitement on the quiet little island I called home. Practical Magic was filmed in Coupeville on the south end of Whidbey Island. It was strange and exciting to see the streets that I had walked on the big screen. Set design had whitewashed all the buildings on Front Street but to me, it was clear that Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman) were walking through Coupeville. The buildings have been returned to their colorful origin, but the magic remains.
Credit: Coupeville Chamber of Commerce and Warner Bros.
Coupeville Chamber of Commerce has done a great job putting together a map of all the filming locations on Front Street. Whoever put together this brainchild did so meticulously. If you visit their website, you will find a list of every building on Front Street listed alongside the name it housed in the film and when it appeared in the movie timeline. The street isn’t overwhelming long, so it is a great Halloween movie road trip for fans and those with little ones!
The Ring was filmed throughout Washington Including Whidbey Island
If you take a ferry ride over from Mukilteo to Whidbey Island, you’re in for a spookier adventure. This location was used for the infamous horse incident from The Ring. If you’re up for terror this trip is wrought with it. The Ring used many locations throughout the state to lend Pacific Northwest chills to their story. You can visit a second filming location on Whidbey Island by visiting Deception Pass Bridge where Rachel (Naomi Watt) and Noah (Martin Henderson) traveled.
Credit: Seattle Curbed, Google Maps, DreamWorks Pictures
If you’re not up for a trip to Whidbey, there are more land locked locations to visit from Monroe all the way to Seattle. I highly recommend visiting Seattle Curbed’s article titled “Relive ‘The Ring’ in these spooky Seattle-area locations.” They have put together a google map with pinpointed The Ring filming locations along with details of the scenes shot in the location. Scary isn’t my thing but if it’s yours make this Halloween movie road trip!
The Twilight Saga was Filmed in Forks and La Push
Alright. I know this one isn’t inherently a Halloween movie. But there are vampires and wolves and unexplained magic, so it made the list. I have lived in Washington my entire life and never heard of Forks until Stephen Meyers released her Twilight Series and I fell Twi-hard for it. I made my way to Forks and La Push (it’s La Push Baby!) this summer. It didn’t matter that it was August. I was still treated to an eerie fog filled day where the roadway disappeared into the mist and trees jumped out at us on twisting turning roads while we journeyed around to filming spots.
Credit: Forks Chamber of Commerce & Summit Entertainment
Forks is small but the area surrounding it is BEAUTIFUL! If you go, start at the Forks Visitor Information Center to grab a Twilight map, and pose with Bella’s Truck from the movie and the book. There is also a GIANT Welcome to Forks sign in the parking lot for you to take pictures with. Whether you’re into paws or fangs if you like Twilight this one is a good Halloween movie road trip to make!
Washington is Home to Horrors, Haunts, Magic and Halloween Movie Road Trips!
All of Washington’s bad weather is good for something; because of it, there is no place better to be during Halloween then Washington State. If you take one of our recommended Washington Halloween Movie Road Trips tag us in your adventures!
Written by Kerriann Jenkins
Pumpkin Carving Hacks
The Anatomy of Pumpkins
Let’s face the facts. As fun as carving a pumpkin can be, the process can also be a LOT of work. You start out at the pumpkin patch or buy your pumpkin at a store. Bring it home. Clean it off. Saw open the top to reveal meaty orange flesh, sticky pulp and stringy webs holding on to a mess of seeds. And this is where the real work begins. Gutting your gourd requires you to submerge your hands, wrists and arms into a wet, sticky, and gooey cavern of pumpkin insides. Then you have to dig and scrape the insides out to have a clean palette to carve into and later light up. I know this task can be a tedious turn off. With this in mind, I compiled a list of pumpkin carving hacks that I have seen that will make the process easier.
Cut at an Angle
To me, this is a no brainer. But if you’re new to the pumpkin carving game make sure you cut your initial opening at an angle to prevent your pumpkin roof from caving in.
The First Cut is Made to Gut
If you are planning to light your pumpkin up using nontraditional lighting then you should try cutting your pumpkin open at the back or the bottom. This technique will also help you to avoid a pumpkin roof collapse. Just remember if you use an open flame candle you will still have to cut a chimney type of opening on the top of your pumpkin to give the smoke an escape route.
Gutting Made Easier: Using a Drill and a Beater
The fluorescent orange flimsy carving kits sold at the store can be a major pain to use. I have bent and broken many carving tools which is why I was excited to see this gutting hack. If you make your pumpkin opening large enough, you can clean out your pumpkin in minutes using this method. Simply tighten a mixer whisk onto your power drill and have at it. If you look on YouTube there are many videos showing how to do this technique but I linked one at random below.
Gutting Made Easier: Using an Electric Hand Mixer
If you’re less of the Tim “The Toolman” Taylor variety, the previous hack will work using an electric hand mixer as well. You just don’t get the same amount of power from it.
Use A Dry Erase Marker To Make Your Design
Using a dry erase marker to trace or sketch out your design will allow you to wipe away any mistakes with ease.
Skip the Carving and Use Cookie Cutters and a Hammer to Make Your Design
If you have metal cookie cutters you can place them on your pumpkin and tap them into its flesh using a hammer to cut out your design.
Drill Pumpkin Carving Hack
If you’re a fan of the power tool hacks, you’ll like this one. Instead of carving, drill designs into your pumpkin!
Use Lite Brite Bulbs To Make Your Pumpkin Face
Start by using a drill, or a hammer and a nail to poke holes in your desired shape. Then insert Lite Brite bulbs into them to light up your pumpkin in a unique way.
Pumpkin Carving- There’s a Hack for That!
As you can see, there are so many pumpkin carving hacks that will make your Halloween crafting easier. If you’re not a fan of touching the guts, there’s a hack for that. Don’t like carving out designs? There’s a hack for that. Even if you want more unique lighting, there’s a hack for that. The list goes on. Pumpkin carving can be as easy or as difficult as you want to make it! So have fun trying out our hacks and let us know if there are any you would be willing to share!
@windermeremillcreek on Instagram
@Windermere Mill Creek Town Center on Facebook
@wremillcreek on Twitter
By Kerriann Jenkins
Michael Florentino Cellars Wine
Mill Creek Town Center Summer Wine Walk Stop #4
Our creative team of tasters almost missed stop number four because it was located off to the side of main street, but we doubled back to taste Michael Florentino Cellars wine hosted at Divaforeva Lashes.
Brief Background on Michael Florentino Cellars
Since I have already written a summarized background of Michael Florentino Cellars from our first wine walk blog, I will insert their history excerpt below:
As noted on their website, Michael Florentino began as a digital catalog winery. They made small batches for private label wine shops. Owner Brad Sherman studied at the UC Davis Vinology program and through volunteer work with local wineries and his time as VP at the Boeing wine club he fueled his own passion to begin making wine. Michael Florentino specializes in Spanish and Italian varietal wines and now has a tasting location and winery in Woodinville.
Michael Florentino Cellars hosted by Divaforeva Lashes
There was no way I was getting out of being adventurous at this tasting. The three wines on the serving list for the evening were all wines I was unfamiliar with. I’m not really sure the reasoning behind why I chose the wine that I did, but on a whim, I ended up asking to sample the 2018 Albarino.
Kerriann’s Wine Tasting Notes on Michael Florentino Cellars 2018 Albarino
This wine was served at room temperature, which was a bit on the warmer end; the reason I say this will be made clear soon. But for now, we will get into the tasting notes. This wine was a deep golden color and smelled evenly keeled. It tasted sweet, but not overly sweet and finished lightly tarte. There were notes of lemon, pineapple and sweeter fruits and a bit of oak on the tongue. I handed it over to Chasity to taste and she agreed that we both liked this wine. So, I bought a bottle to taste on a later day with a cleaner palette.
Kerriann’s Second Tasting of the 2018 Albarino
Unfortunately, tasting two did not go as well as I had expected. I will start by saying, I believe we served this wine incorrectly. Completely going against my own advice from our 7 Tips for Better Wine Storage blog, this bottle was put in the freezer and served ice cold. When I took my first sip it tasted very bitter and more aggressive. The longer I sat with it the warmer it got. As it thawed out the flavor profiles got a little bit smoother. Still, I liked it less then I had before. We probably should have let this one warm up all the way back to room temperature and tried it once more but we had purchased another bottle to have a second tasting with and moved on to that wine.
Chasity’s tasting notes on Michael Florentino Cellars 2018 Albarino
So this was an interesting tasting I must say….we decided to buy this bottle because we liked it so much, I will explain later. I love the color of this wine as it gives of a soft golden creamy color and smelled perfectly sweet. The first sip was a little sweet but soon provided a tartness that evened out the taste and balanced it well. It reminded me of a tropical fruity drink with a nice nice crisp note like peachy and flavors of mango. It was definitely one of my favorites!
Chasity’s Second 2018 Albarino Tasting Notes
I’ve never really paid attention to the exact temperature you are supposed to drink white wine at and how much of a difference it makes. Kerriann explained it the best as far as the second tasting of this wine, it did not go well. Serving chilled was a mistake as it needed to be served at room temperature. It would have been much much better on the pallet. The first taste was not as good as when we tasted it at room temperature. Very strong and overly tart. Although as I continued to taste it the better it got. I still recommend this wine but make sure you serve it at room temperature or just slightly chilled.
Hosting Etiquette
I think that this blog feature would be remiss without including our experience with the staff at Divaforeva Lashes. They were kind, they engaged in lighthearted banter and asked us how we liked our wine. They were the only business to take the time to chat with us while we were tasting (apart from our hosting broker at our Windermere tasting). Their warmness and inviting nature was appreciated.
I’m still up in the air on my opinion of the 2018 Albarino. If I had another bottle, I would try serving it at room temperature to see if that swayed my thoughts positively or negatively. Regardless, there are still seven more tastings to go. I’ll be updating the links below as we post them, so stay tuned for more!
Wine Tasting Notes to Come!
♦Harbinator Wines♦ ♦Drum Roll Wine♦ ♦Naches Heights Vineyard♦ ♦Kerloo Cellars♦ ♦Wandering Wolf Cellars♦ ♦Dahlman Cellars♦ ♦Martedi Cellars♦ ♦Navarre Coulee♦ ♦Bayernmoor♦ ♦Julian Margot♦ ♦Michael Florentino Cellars♦
Blog Written by Kerriann Jenkins
Blog Feature Chasity Rodriguez
Julian Margot Wine Tasting
Mill Creek Town Center Summer Wine Walk Stop #3
I love cheese. Sounds like a random statement taken out of context but when we made our third pit stop at First Financial Northwest Bank, they had laid out a charcuterie platter of meats, cheeses and fruits and I had to indulge in a few of them. So, with a few cheese hunks in hand I moved happily on to tasting number three with wine by Julian Margot.
Brief Background on Julian Margot
Julian Margot’s online footprint isn’t a large one. In the About section of their website I learned that they had their startup in 2020 by owners Chris & Leah Kellog. They do have some cute pictures posted though. Naturally, it made sense they only had wines featured from 2020-2021 at the event.
Julian Margot hosted by First Financial Northwest bank
I chose to sample the Julian Margot 2020 Malbec because it was the most expensive wine on the docket. I also have not had a lot of Malbec, so it seemed to be a more adventurous choice for me over the Rose & Merlot. As far as the tasting went, I was glad I chose this option.
Kerriann’s Wine Tasting Notes on the Julian Margot 2020 Malbec
The Malbec poured out a dark purple blue in tone and smelled deeply sweet. The first sip was a rich heavy sweet mouthful that was eventually cancelled out by a light tarte finish. This wine was fruit forward and the flavor profiles lingered on the taste buds. It moved more slowly on the tongue and presented itself like liquid jam and cocoa. But the tannins and the tartness married themselves to these flavors and cancelled them out. I still found that the journey of the flavor development made this wine well rounded overall. I enjoyed this wine.
Chasity’s Wine Tasting Notes on the Julian Margot 2021 Rose
I really loved the color The Rose poured, a pretty pink, you know like (Pretty In Pink)….The first taste was bitter and a little tart but quickly turned as it hit my pallet with the second sip. It was smooth and refreshing with a very light and crisp after taste. Very well balanced Rose as it was made from 100% Cabernet I found out. I really enjoyed this wine.
Wine & Cheese Pair Perfectly
I have to say that my wine review may have been a bit tainted by my cheese tasting during this experience. While both were enjoyable, the cheese was just as full bodied as the wine. I wish that I had tried their 2021 Rose because it was an intriguing brilliant reddened pink tone that looked nontraditional from the Roses I have seen. Either way, the tasting was a win, win for me.
This was only stop three of our wine walk and there are still eight more to go. I’ll be updating the links below as we post them so stay tuned for the next post!
Wine Tasting Notes to Come!
♦Harbinator Wines♦ ♦Drum Roll Wine♦ ♦Naches Heights Vineyard♦ ♦Kerloo Cellars♦ ♦Wandering Wolf Cellars♦ ♦Dahlman Cellars♦ ♦Martedi Cellars♦ ♦Navarre Coulee♦ ♦Bayernmoor♦ ♦Julian Margot♦ ♦Michael Florentino Cellars♦
Blog Written by Kerriann Jenkins
Blog Feature Chasity Rodriguez
Bayernmoor Wine Tasting
Bayernmoor Wine Tasting Stop #2
We spent our second ticket from the Mill Creek Town Center Summer Wine Walk at Zeek’s Pizza for a Bayernmoor wine tasting. When we walked in their long beer list caught my eye and drew my attention down to the Bayernmoor wine on their serving counter. I overheard the sommelier letting the group ahead of us know that their 2017 Washington State Pinot Noir had received multiple gold and double gold awards, and I knew I was going to have to try it.
Bayernmoor hosted by Zeek’s Pizza
Bayernmoor is a family-owned winery and vineyard located in Stanwood Washington. The winery has gained notoriety thanks to the cumulative efforts of the Harris and Biesecker families and winemaker Brian Carter. They source their Pinot from their own vineyard’s 6 acres of Pinot Noir and the rest of their grapes they get from other renowned growers in the state. They take a minimalist approach to creating the best wine possible without a lot of interfering processing.
Kerriann’s Bayernmoor Wine Tasting Notes 2017 Washington State Pinot Noir
Bayernmoor’s 2017 Washington State Pinot Noir had been branded with high praise. So, I had high expectations going into this tasting. The wine poured a light bright translucent red and smelled deliciously AMAZING. This wine smelled so much like maple that I had to hand it over to Chasity to sniff it before I took a sip. I expected this wine to be equally as sweet because of the smell but it was more like a rollercoaster of unexpected flavors. The first sip perked up my taste buds with a tartness I hadn’t anticipated. Flavors of cherry, tobacco, spices, and a light sweetness followed. Overall, this was a fun wine to drink.
Credit: Wine bottle imagery from Bayernmoor’s website
Chasity’s Bayernmoor Wine Tasting Notes 2019 Washington State Rose
So I started with the Bayernmoor 2019 Rose as I like to try all different types here in Washington. I ended up not remembering what it tasted like (hahaha) as I tried Kerriann’s 2017 Pinot Noir and liked that so much better. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as Pinot Noir is usually one of my least favorites, go figure! The first taste of the Pinot Noir plays with your taste buds. It gives off a maple smell but the taste ends with a bitterness which surprisingly I couldn’t get enough of! It offered a great balance of sweet and bitter, I would try this again for sure.
Overall We Enjoyed Our Second Stop
After our tasting I can understand why Bayernmoor had received numerous awards on their wine. Their 2017 Washington State Pinot Noir took me by surprise with its storm of flavors. If this wine was made into a candle, I would love to smell it all day long. This was only stop number two of our wine walk and there are still nine more to go. I’ll be updating the links below as we post them so stay tuned for the next post!
Wine Tasting Notes to Come!
♦Harbinator Wines♦ ♦Drum Roll Wine♦ ♦Naches Heights Vineyard♦ ♦Kerloo Cellars♦ ♦Wandering Wolf Cellars♦ ♦Dahlman Cellars♦ ♦Martedi Cellars♦ ♦Navarre Coulee♦ ♦Bayernmoor♦ ♦Julian Margot♦ ♦Michael Florentino Cellars♦
Blog written by Kerriann Jenkins
Blog Feature Chasity Rodriguez
Real Estate Market: It’s All About Affordability
Analyzing Real Estate Market Numbers in 2022
The Washington Center for Real Estate Research at the University of Washington provides one of my favorite charts for analyzing the state of the local real estate market. It is the housing affordability index, which is released quarterly and delivers housing affordability statistics by county. To understand how the measurements function, the WCRER describes it like this:
The Housing Affordability Index measures the ability of a middle-income family to carry the mortgage payments on a medium price home. When the index is 100, there is a balance between the family’s ability to pay and the cost. Higher indexes indicate housing is more affordable.
WCRER’s index takes into consideration housing prices, incomes, interest rates, inflation, and the ability to save for down payment, etc. As economic conditions change, so does the index. Simply put, if the index is above 100, housing is affordable to middle income families. If the index is below 100, it is not. The lower the index, the less affordable housing is to middle income families.
The problem we are facing in the real estate world today is affordability. I have prepared a chart that shows how closed real estate transactions in Snohomish County nearly mirrors the WCRER affordability index for the past five years. The most recently released index number in Snohomish County stands at 60 and real estate transactions are following suit, as is to be expected. Home sales in Snohomish County are down nearly 13% over this time last year. Ten percent of that took place in the last two months.
5 Year Closed Sales and Affordability Index in Snohomish County by Windermere Mill Creek
The Big Three and Their Affect on the Real Estate Market
The main drivers of these statistical changes in real estate market affordability are what I call the Big Three: Wages, Interest Rates, and Home Pricing. Housing prices have soared for the past decade, driven by low inventory and low interest rates, causing many buyers to be priced out of the market. However, interest rates have doubled in the last year and now more buyers have been removed from the market. The result: the real estate market has slowed dramatically.
Interest rates
As in any free market economy, market forces shape supply and demand for products and commodities. In our current economic situation, we are seeing inflation at 40-year highs. To counteract this, the FED is taking action to get inflation under control by way of raising interest rates. Unfortunately for the real estate market, this solution is meant to curtail consumer spending and runaway pricing. In my opinion, this is not a short-term solution. It takes time for higher interest rates to make a dent on inflationary pressures. Home buyers should not be looking for interest rates to be lower any time soon.
Credit: Fannie Mae
Wages
Wages will continue to rise as they have since the dawn of time. However, this too is a long-term solution to the housing affordability problem. Wages rise, but slowly. The average increase in annual salary has averaged about 3% for decades. It is estimated that 2022 will be no different. The problem remains that a 3% salary increase does not compensate for interest rates that have doubled, inflation running at around 8% and housing prices at all-time highs.
Credit: The Conference Board
Housing Prices
In order to bring the housing affordability Index numbers back in line, something has to give. Market forces start working whether we like it or not. In the case of the real estate market in Snohomish County, we know that we cannot count on interest rates to come in lower in the near term and we know that wages are not keeping pace with inflation or interest rates. All that’s left to compensate for our affordability condition is housing prices, and we are currently seeing downward pressure. The last two months alone have seen a decline of 10% in housing prices in Snohomish County.
Is the Current Real Estate Market Good or Bad?
Are housing prices dropping in our county a good or bad thing? In my humble opinion, it is neither good, nor bad. It is just market forces recalibrating affordability. It is the nature of a free market economy. I see this as the only choice, in the near term, for housing affordability and the real estate market, to reset itself and return to a normal state. I do not see an impending market crash coming like the one the market experienced in 2008. I see this as a minor correction in pricing until affordability numbers align themselves again. I don’t expect this to last long. Nor do I think prices will continue to fall significantly. So, if you’re waiting for housing prices to drop considerably before you purchase, you will probably be missing a great buying opportunity.
If you are thinking of selling soon, you may have to face a new reality. The market conditions respond to market forces. It’s impossible to time the market and in the end, we are all on the same ride. It’s neither good nor bad, it’s just the way it is.
Written by Owner Chris Hill
